The present invention relates to the preparation of new compositions of matter which are useful in low temperature curable coatings. More specifically, the invention relates to the preparation of polymeric materials derived from dioctadienyl fumarate, dioctadienyl maleate, and mixtures thereof and the use of these materials in novel coating systems which are curable at 180.degree.-200.degree. F.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,749 discloses the preparation of octadienyl esters of carboxylic acids from butadiene and a suitable carboxylic acid. Fumaric acid is listed as a suitable carboxylic acid. The patent does not disclose either the preparation of polymers from such octadienyl esters or the use of such polymers in coating compositions.
The present invention provides polymers derived from dioctadienyl fumarate, dioctadienyl maleate, and mixtures thereof which are useful in low temperature curable coating compositions. The invention further provides a one-step process for preparing such polymers from octadienol and fumaric acid, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, lower alkyl esters of such acids, or mixtures of the foregoing. The coating compositions which are prepared from such polymers are curable at low temperatures of 180.degree.-200.degree. F. and are harder and more solvent resistant than current, commercially available coating compositions, such as alkyd resins.